Every day we talk to convey information, clarify responsibilities, smooth difficult situations, and encourage others. Words can create deep emotional intimacy with spouses and friends, but often our words seem to thwart true communication rather than sustain it. Psychologists Paul J. Donoghue and Mary E. Siegel, longtime counselors and experts in communication, walk readers through some of the most frequent mistakes we make in talking to one another and offer simple practical corrections.

Building on the insights contained in their best-selling book "Are You Really Listening?," Donoghue and Siegel guide readers through engaging real-life stories, including the boss who needs to advise a failing employee, the parent whose daughter flouts curfew, the wife who wants to go back to school but thinks her husband will not approve, and many more. With clarity and humor, they encourage readers to pursue healthier and more satisfying relationships with six steps toward clear, honest, and effective self-expression.